


A book of spring

by Subaruchan192



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Books, Cat, Domestic Fluff, Enjoying the sun, M/M, Married Couple, Pet Owner, Reading, Spring, Teasing, garden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:21:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23633008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subaruchan192/pseuds/Subaruchan192
Summary: Rafael enjoys reading a book in their garden on the first, warm day of spring, until his husband comes home.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	A book of spring

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Eastern, everybody. However you decide to celebrate it (or not) =)
> 
> So, this story came up to me while enjoying the sun on my balcony together with my cats. I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did writing it.

The sky was blue and clear, not a single cloud covering the smiling sun. A playful breeze danced through the nature, carrying a mild, aromatic perfume of blossoming flowers floated through the air and caressed Rafael nose, who had made himself comfortable underneath the old oak with the long branches in their garden, which provided a pleasant shadow with his green crinoline.

In his hand rested a thick paperback in which he had been absorbed for quite some hours. It wasn’t his usual kind of read, which was sophisticated literature. The book was rather simple written and even more so it was a romance story, coming close to a dime novel, but it was rather sweet and more than once, the characters made Rafael smile or caused him to snort in amusement, because they were so socially awkward and adorable. What more could you ask for on the first, mild spring day? Well, Rafael knew one more thing, but it was supposed to come home soon and until then, he wanted to use the time to relax, before a shower of words would pour itself over him.

At least, Sonny had the courtesy to bust out into the garden, when Rafael had just finished and bookmarked the chapter.

“Ah, there you are!”, he exclaimed with the loudness of excitement as he walked energetically over the terrace and green grass. Rafael sighed and internally waved good-bye at the calmness and peace, while he straightened his deck chair. Though, if he was honest, he didn’t really mind. He actually enjoyed to listen to Sonny talking about his day, because it felt a little as if he was still part of the squad and the world of their jobs. Despite that, Sonny’s energy was wonderfully infectious and vitalizing. Relaxing and calmness might made him come to rest, but being with Sonny refreshed him. “And I see were all the ice tea went I wanted to reward myself with.”

The sun stood in Sonny’s back, who had his hand on his hips, and his long shadow covered Rafael’s face.

“Well, there’s still enough left. Help yourself!”, Rafael replied unimpressed and with a smirk twitching within his tone and around the corners of his mouth, while he pointed at the glassy jug.

“I don’t have a glass.”, Sonny grumbled as he slumped down onto the bench next to Rafael. Obviously, he wasn’t very eager to go back inside to get one. Rafael exhaled dramatically as he reached out, refilled his empty glass and handed it to Sonny, who was quite surprised by the gesture.

“Are you sure?”, the germsceptic spoke out of him.

“Sonny, we’re husbands. That means we share everything- even our mouth’s bacteria.” Rafael laughed and shook his head about him. “Despite that you couldn’t kiss me either, if this makes you uncomfortable.”

“True.” Sonny sighed in playful defeat as he took the glass form him. As soon as the cool liquid brushed over his lips, though, they tucked up into a content smile.

“Thank you.”, he whispered softly and the smile turned into the one Rafael loved most- wide, happy and as bright as the sun.

“So, now that your thirst is satisfied.”, Rafael began with a smug undertone and even smugger smirk, which caused his husband to glare at him sideways while deliberately emptying the glass. “Do I get a proper ‘ _hello_ ’?”

“Oh, yes, sorry.” Sonny put down the glass on the little, wooden table, which stood between the bench and Rafael’s deck chair, but different than in the early beginning of their relationship, he didn’t feel guilty and ashamed. Slowly and constantly, he had grown more confident. Most of that growth Rafael accredited to Sonny’s new job, but he hoped he had also been a part of it. He wanted to support his husband with everything he could.

Quickly, Sonny stood up and walked up to him.

“Hello, my love.”, he whispered as he leaned down to him. Different shades of orange, red and yellow danced within it in a fascinating colour play and Rafael had to admit that his hair shone beautifully in the evening sun.

“Hello, cariño.”, Rafael replied with a soft voice and they kissed as if it was the first time. Actually, they always did. They had almost lost each other and everything that could have been over Drew’s case and therefore every moment together was precious to them. Never again they wanted to fear of never seeing each other again. “How was work?”

“Good, good. I have everything I need to try the case.”, Sonny answered as he stretched himself out on the bench with the high rests on each side one could lean against.

“That’s great. I now, how hard it was.”

“The squad truly did the best they could to provide me with evidences.” Sonny smiled and so did Rafael. It didn’t pain as much as it used to anymore. Sometimes, when Sonny got all excited about a case and didn’t stop talking about for hours, he still did, but he liked his new job just as much. “How did your students do in the exam?”

“I’ve only overflown a few, but it didn’t look too bad.”

“I would be surprised, if it were any different. You are good teacher, Rafael.”, Sonny said casually as his gaze wandered up towards the old oak tree, but Rafael’s heart warmed at the little praise. If he was truly honest with himself, having Sonny as a protégé had opened him up to the idea of becoming a teacher. Beforehand, he had thought he could never possibly stand stupidity- or how most would see it: people, who simply needed to learn things-, but through helping Sonny passing the bar exam, Rafael had realized how satisfying it was to see your pupil grow. To pass on the experience and knowledge and to observe, how they began to understand. To see how the fire of knowledge began to burn in their eyes and soon they were able to solve the problems themselves. Most of all, though, he loved that bright, happy smile they all had, when they were able to the first time. It was a different kind of satisfaction than winning a case, but it was a good one.

When Rafael had told the rest of his former squad he was going to be a professor at Columbia, Amanda and Fin had joked how he was going to be the professor all students were going to fear. The truth had turned out differently, though. Rafael was a popular professor, because he wasn’t one of those, who pulled through his program without paying attention to his students. He was close to them, took his time to answer their questions and often integrated them in his lessons. They roleplayed prosecuting real cases and Rafael let them try it out by themselves without interrupting them or making them uncertain. Only when they were done, he first asked the class for advices or different strategies to only then conclude with his own advices. Just when someone was truly lost, Rafael played the prompter. He made sure that none of his students felt disillusioned or inadequate. Different than Fin and Amanda would have guessed, Rafael was not strict. He was just. If you worked hard you were rewarded. If you didn’t, you were scolded. Rafael wanted to make sure that his students were best prepared to work as a lawyer.

“Am I mistaking or do you sound a little disappointed?”, Sonny asked curiously and Rafael blinked, turning his head back to him only to be met with a smirk that was just as smug as his had been.

“Rather content. I made it challenging and seeing them succeeding is very pleasing.” His own grin became a tad wider.

Just when Sonny was about to open his mouth for a sarcastic reply, because they just loved teasing each other, a white flash sprang out of one bush nearby, ran towards the bench and landed in Sonny’s lap, who looked down surprised.

“Oh, there you are, Lizzy.”, Rafael said. “I was wondering, where you were the past hours.”

A white cat with middle-long, fur and bright blue eyes stretched itself with relish in Sonny’s lap, before sitting down. Demandingly, she looked at him, while her tail wagged nervously. Lizzy, or Elizabeth as her name actually was, was one year old and lived in their house for half a year.

On one of their regular Sunday walks, they had passed by an open-door day in an animal shelter. Sonny had persuaded Rafael to have a look and then, they had found Elizabeth sitting shyly in one corner of the cat house. Right from the spot, both of them had been enthralled by this beautiful cat with the stunning eyes. She had been living in the asylum for three months and they had wondered, why no one had adopted her yet. The carer told them that she was deaf as it was often the case with white furred, blue eyed cats. It wasn’t a handicap for Elizabeth, because she was born with it, but she needed to be able to get out and most people couldn’t offer a secure garden and those, who could, didn’t look for a companion in a shelter- especially not one with a “ _mistake_ ” _._

Then it had been all up with Sonny. He had wanted to adopt her from the bottom of his heart. Rafael had seen it in his eyes. He had hesitated at first, though, due to their schedule, but Sonny had softened him up to idea. With his job at the Columbia he was much more at home and a cat was able to stay alone for a while. When the decision had been sealed for Rafael, though, was when Lizzy had rubbed her head against his hand. In this moment, he had fallen head over heels for this angelic, little creature and they had adopted her. After a week of preparing everything- especially improving their garden fence- Elizabeth had moved in and had become comfortable quickly. 

Elizabeth impatiently bumped Sonny again to underline that she was the ruler of this house and she was not very pleased that Sonny hadn’t greeted her yet. His face expression softened at the sight of the big, blue staring up at him.

“Who’s my good girl?”, he asked in a tone as if he was talking to a baby and began to stroke her. Happily, Elizabeth closed her eyes and snuggled her head into the big, warm palm of the younger man of the married couple. “You are, yes you are.”

“You are aware that she can’t hear you, right?”, Rafael asked with a grin, while he refilled his glass of ice tea and took a savouring gulp.

“I’m not stupid.” Sonny glared at him, his blue eyes sparkling like an agate, but he couldn’t contain a grin. “But she knows what I’m saying by looking at my face. Isn’t that true, Lizzy?”

As if to agree, Elizabeth meowed. It was higher than from most cats and a little hoarse, because she couldn’t hear it herself. She had just learned, when and what kind of a reaction was awaited by her. Both of them found it truly adorable.

“If you say so.”, Rafael replied as he leaned back into his chair and enjoyed the last sunbeams of the day, which shone onto his face. Sonny smiled at the sight and then resumed their cat. Elizabeth rolled onto her back, showing him her belly and when Sonny began stroking it, she hugged his hand gently with her paws, pulled it close and tenderly licked over his thumb.

“What are you reading?”, he asked after some moments in which they had enjoyed the peacefulness that was their garden. They both were aware, how lucky they were to have such a safe haven of quietness in this busy city.

“That slush you’ve lent me a week ago.”, Rafael replied and threw a sceptical gaze at the red book.

“Oh, finally.”, Sonny said and clapped into his hands. “How do you like it so far?”

Rafael lifted an eyebrow skeptically at the exciting tone in Sonny’s voice. They truly had a different taste in books. That was something he had noticed early on.

“Don’t the characters remind you of us a little?” Blue eyes looked expectantly at him and Rafael frowned. That was what he saw in the main characters of this book? Them? He took it back into his hand and ran a finger over the cover. There were two men printed on hit, who longingly starred at each other. One with blonde, one with black hair. Now, that Rafael took more time looking at it, it felt like they were opposites that attracted each other. As if they were the same kind of the coin.

“On the fist glance they appear very opposite.”, Sonny began to explain his impression, while he stroked Elizabeth between her ears, who had curled herself together in his lap. “Elias might be thinking he is annoyed by Nathaniel, but deep within him he enjoyed his enthusiasm and optimism. And all Nathaniel want is to impress Elias to gain his attention. He tries very hard to get better, because deep within himself he believes he isn’t good enough.”

Sonny rose his eyes and there was a deep, strong expression of love in his eyes, which Rafael almost wasn’t able to hold. It revealed a truth both of them had known for quite a while, but hadn’t told each other.

His gaze turned back to Sonny, who smiled lovingly at him. The wind made his hair blow as if it was dancing. He appeared soft as he looked at him with Elizabeth in his lap. Maybe he was right about that. They were quite contrary, too, though their moral and values were the same. They were representing different approached in the way of granting justice and found attraction in the other’s point of view. It felt as if together they were finally completed.

“I can see that.”, Rafael said with a smile and meant it in many ways: Sonny’s interpretation of the characters and the similarity to themselves.

“I don’t want to spoil you, though.” The smile of Sonny turned wicked. “But there’s quite a surprising twist in the end.”

“And what could that be?” Rafael tilted his head and smirked. “Do they play _will-they-won’t-they_ until an unforeseen event happens and Elias turns away from him, almost denying them their change of being happy together?”

“No.” With a more serious face expression, Sonny stood up. Elizabeth meowed in protest and saved herself by jumping down from him, before she disappeared into some bush again. The sound of his steps in the grasses were muffled as he stepped over to Rafael. He dipped his head low, until their noses almost brushed against each other. “That is our story with our own happy ending.”

~*~ 

If anyone is interested, that's how Elizabeth looks like.

**Author's Note:**

> Please, let me know, what you think of it =)
> 
> Do you think Rafael and Sonny would a cat? Let's share our thoughts =)
> 
> Have a great day, Subaru


End file.
